Pet Fair Asia 2026: Key Pet Food Trends We Observed in Shanghai

Explore the key pet food trends we observed at Pet Fair Asia 2026 in Shanghai, from extruded and freeze-dried food to baked, wet food, treats, functional nutrition and private-label manufacturing.

Pet Fair Asia 2026 brought together thousands of pet industry companies, manufacturers, brands, distributors and professional buyers in Shanghai from August 19 to 23. As a pet food manufacturer specializing in OEM and private-label production, we visited the exhibition to see not only what products were being showcased, but also where the pet food industry is heading.

From traditional extruded dry food to freeze-dried products, baked pet food, wet food, canned food and creamy treats, the exhibition showed how quickly pet food formats and consumer expectations are evolving.

More importantly, we noticed a growing focus on functional nutrition, product differentiation, premiumization, manufacturing capabilities and flexible OEM/ODM solutions.

Here are some of the key trends we observed at Pet Fair Asia 2026.

Pet Fair Asia 2026 at a Glance

Pet Fair Asia returned to Shanghai for its 28th edition in August 2026.

According to the official exhibition information, the event covered more than 320,000 square meters, brought together 2,600+ exhibitors, and attracted more than 130,000 professional visitors. International participation also continued to grow, with visitors from more than 100 countries attending the 2026 edition.

Pet Fair Asia 2026 in Shanghai brought together manufacturers, brands, distributors and professional buyers from around the world.

The scale of the exhibition also reflects the increasingly important role of China and Asia in the global pet industry. Alongside the main exhibition, PET FAIR SUPPLY focused specifically on the pet industry supply chain, including OEM/ODM, packaging, equipment, materials and smart manufacturing. The 2026 supply-chain exhibition brought together more than 900 suppliers across a 70,000-square-meter exhibition area.

What We Saw at Pet Fair Asia 2026

Walking through the exhibition halls, one thing was immediately clear: pet food is becoming more diverse.

Instead of relying on a single dominant product format, manufacturers and brands are developing different textures, processing technologies, nutritional profiles and product concepts to meet increasingly segmented consumer needs.

Among the products we saw were:

1. Extruded Dry Food Remains a Core Pet Food Category

Despite the rapid growth of new product formats, extruded dry pet food remains one of the most important categories in the market.

Extrusion continues to be widely used for dog food and cat food because it allows manufacturers to produce stable, scalable products while controlling nutritional composition, texture and processing parameters.

At the exhibition, we saw a wide variety of dry food products with different:

Extruded dry food remains a core category, while brands continue to differentiate products through formulas, ingredients, kibble design and nutritional positioning.

For international brands, this also highlights an important point: a competitive pet food manufacturer needs more than production capacity.

Formula development, raw material sourcing, quality control, processing technology and consistency are all important when scaling a pet food product.

2. Freeze-Dried Pet Food Continues to Move Into Premium Segments

One of the most visible trends at the exhibition was the continued development of freeze-dried pet food and freeze-dried treats.

Freeze-dried products were presented in several forms, including complete pet food, meal toppers and treats.

The growing variety of freeze-dried products reflects a broader movement toward premium pet nutrition and ingredient-focused products.

For consumers, freeze-dried products can offer a different texture and feeding experience. For brands, they also provide opportunities to create higher-value products and differentiated product lines.

This is particularly relevant for emerging pet food brands looking to build a premium or super-premium portfolio.

3. Baked Pet Food Shows the Expansion of Product Formats

Another category that caught our attention was baked pet food.

Baked pet food provides brands with another way to differentiate products through:

Rather than competing only on the percentage of protein or the number of ingredients, brands can also differentiate themselves through how the food is produced and experienced by pets and their owners.

This trend represents a broader shift toward product format diversification in the pet food industry.

4. Wet Food and Canned Pet Food Continue to Expand

Wet food was another major product category across the exhibition.

Wet pet food and canned products can provide brands with additional opportunities to develop different textures, recipes, protein sources and feeding occasions.

For international distributors, wet food can also complement dry food portfolios and create more diversified product offerings.

The development of wet food also requires manufacturers to pay close attention to formulation, processing, filling, sterilization, packaging and shelf-life stability.

This is one reason why product development and manufacturing capabilities are becoming increasingly important for private-label pet food brands.

5. Creamy and Lickable Cat Treats Are Becoming an Important Format

Another product category that attracted significant attention was creamy and lickable cat treats.

These products have become an important part of the cat treat category because they provide brands with opportunities to develop different flavors, textures, functional concepts and packaging formats.

For private-label brands, creamy treats can also be interesting because they allow relatively strong differentiation through:

• Flavor combinations
• Protein sources
• Functional ingredients
• Packaging
• Portion size
• Product positioning

The growing variety of cat treats also demonstrates a broader trend: pet food is increasingly being designed around specific feeding occasions and consumer preferences rather than a single “one-size-fits-all” product.

6. Functional Pet Nutrition Is Becoming More Precise

Perhaps one of the most important industry trends we observed was the increasing focus on functional and targeted nutrition.

The 2026 Asia Pet Health and Food Summit itself was upgraded around the industry’s move toward more functional and precision-oriented pet food, with topics including market trends, formula technology, precision nutrition and manufacturing technology.

Examples of functional positioning include:

• Digestive health
• Skin and coat care
• Joint support
• Immune support
• Weight management
• Senior pet nutrition
• Hairball management
• Urinary health

For manufacturers, this trend creates new challenges.

Developing a functional product is not simply about adding an ingredient to an existing formula. Brands need to consider ingredient compatibility, dosage, palatability, nutritional balance, processing stability and regulatory requirements in the target market.

This makes custom pet food formulation and R&D support increasingly important.

7. China’s Pet Food Industry Is Becoming More Diverse

Another interesting aspect of Pet Fair Asia 2026 was the presence of many established Chinese pet food manufacturers alongside international companies and emerging brands.

Among the companies and brands visible across the exhibition were Yantai China Pet Foods, Shanghai Fubei Pet Food, Ronsy Pet Food, METZ, Luscious, Guaibao and Nestlé Purina, among many others.

Rather than treating these companies as a ranking, it is more useful to look at what their presence represents.

China’s pet food industry now includes companies with capabilities across:

For example, Yantai China Pet Foods describes a product portfolio covering treats, wet food, dry food and freeze-dried products, while Shanghai Fubei highlights capabilities covering extrusion, baking, wet food and freeze-drying technologies.

METZ also operates a smart factory in Nantong and offers dry food, wet food and freeze-dried product lines.

8. From Products to Supply Chain: Manufacturing Capability Matters

Pet Fair Asia 2026 was not only about finished products.

The expansion of PET FAIR SUPPLY was another clear signal that the pet industry is placing increasing importance on the manufacturing and supply-chain side of the business.

The supply-chain exhibition covered OEM/ODM, packaging, equipment, raw materials and smart manufacturing, bringing together more than 900 suppliers.

For international brands, this is particularly important.

Finding a pet food manufacturer is no longer simply about asking:

“Can you produce this product?”

Brands increasingly need to consider:

This is where the difference between a simple production supplier and a full-service pet food manufacturing partner becomes important.

9. Industry Awards Highlight the Importance of the Supply Chain

The exhibition also featured annual industry awards and recognition for outstanding companies and supply-chain participants.

Pet Fair Asia 2026 EXCELLENCE IN SUPPLY CHAIN OF THE YEAR

These award photos are worth keeping in the article because they visually reinforce an important point:

Behind every successful pet food brand is a supply chain.

Product innovation depends not only on branding and marketing, but also on formulation, ingredients, manufacturing technology, quality control, packaging and reliable delivery.

10. What These Trends Mean for Private-Label Pet Food Brands

For international pet food brands and distributors, the trends we observed at Pet Fair Asia 2026 point toward a more flexible approach to product development.

A new brand may start with a small number of products, but the long-term opportunity often lies in building a differentiated portfolio.

For example:

Core Products

• Extruded dry dog food

• Extruded dry cat food

Premium Products

• Freeze-dried food

• Baked pet food

• Premium wet food

Functional Products

• Digestive health

• Skin and coat

• Joint support

• Immune support

Treats

• Freeze-dried treats

• Creamy cat treats

• Meat-based treats

This type of portfolio allows brands to serve different price points and feeding occasions while maintaining a consistent brand identity.

For brands looking for a manufacturing partner, our private-label pet food services can support product development across different categories and formats.

11. Why OEM and ODM Are Becoming More Important

The development of new pet food formats also creates a greater need for OEM and ODM manufacturing.

An international brand may have the concept and market positioning, but not necessarily the production facilities, formulation team or technical resources needed to bring a product to market.

A capable OEM/ODM partner can help bridge that gap.

Depending on the project, support may include:

Formula development → Ingredient selection → Product testing → Manufacturing → Packaging → Quality control → Export

This model can be particularly useful for:

• New pet food brands

• International distributors

• Retail chains

• E-commerce brands

• Veterinary-focused brands

• Premium pet food companies

For brands looking to develop customized products, the manufacturing partner should ideally be able to support the project beyond simply filling bags or cans.

12. What We Took Away from Pet Fair Asia 2026

After seeing the products, brands and supply-chain capabilities presented at Pet Fair Asia 2026, one conclusion stood out to us:

The pet food industry is becoming more specialized.

The market is moving beyond a simple choice between dry food and wet food.

We are seeing more:

• Product formats
• Functional nutrition
• Premium ingredients
• Freeze-dried products
• Baked products
• Specialized treats
• Targeted nutrition
• Customized formulations
• Private-label products

At the same time, the manufacturing side of the industry is becoming more sophisticated.

For international brands, this creates both opportunities and challenges.

The right manufacturing partner needs to understand not only how to produce pet food, but also how to translate a product concept into a commercially viable, scalable and consistent product.

13. Our Perspective as a Pet Food Manufacturer

At Zonyu, we believe that a modern pet food manufacturing partner should be able to support brands throughout the product development process.

From product concepts and custom pet food formulation to manufacturing, packaging and supply, the goal is not simply to produce another SKU.

It is to help brands create products that are:

Market-relevant.
Technically feasible.
Consistent in quality.
Scalable for future growth.

Our team works with international customers on OEM and private-label pet food projects across different product categories, including dry food, wet food and treats.

If you are developing a new pet food brand or looking for a manufacturing partner for an existing product line, we welcome you to discuss your product requirements with our team.

Conclusion

Pet Fair Asia 2026 demonstrated how quickly the pet food industry is evolving.

From extruded dry food and freeze-dried products to baked food, wet food, canned products and creamy treats, manufacturers are developing more formats and more specialized solutions for today’s pet owners.

At the same time, the growing focus on functional nutrition, product differentiation, OEM/ODM manufacturing and supply-chain capabilities is creating new opportunities for brands around the world.

For us, the most valuable part of attending Pet Fair Asia was not simply seeing new products.

It was seeing where the industry is going next.

And for international pet food brands, one thing is becoming increasingly clear:

The right manufacturing partner can be an important part of building the next generation of pet food products.

About Zonyu Pet Food

Zonyu is a pet food manufacturer specializing in OEM and private-label pet food solutions. We support international brands and distributors with product development, formulation, manufacturing and packaging across multiple pet food categories.